Rorke's Drift

October 1, 2012

York (military history, Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst; Zulu!: The Battle for Rorke's Drift 1879) revisits the famous clash in a short history for the publisher's "Battle Story" series. The victory of 140 British soldiers over 4000 Zulu warriors, Yorke argues, was a particularly ably and heroically fought battle from a purely military perspective. The triumph of the tiny British force deterred the Zulu from attacking the British South African colony and proved that a fortified defense was the best counter to Zulu tactics. Regarding domestic British politics, Yorke maintains that this victory counterbalanced the news of the Zulus' almost total annihilation of 1700 British soldiers at the Battle of Isandlwana one day before the Rorke's Drift battle. VERDICT Yorke's short introductory history is readable and well-illustrated, recommended for those interested in British colonial history, South African history, and the military context.--MJ

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